


Embodiment

by tapochki



Category: Westworld (TV)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21842542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tapochki/pseuds/tapochki
Summary: Testing consciousness in a new host.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Embodiment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [M J Holyoke (wholeyolk)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholeyolk/gifts).



Eyes open. Set focus to three feet above. Do you see them? The two individuals there? When you see them, let your brow furrow just a little bit. Blink. Allow your pupils to dilate. Just a little bit. This is a way to demonstrate attention. It is liked when you show attention.

“She’s awake,” says one individual. When an individual speaks, you turn your attention to them; this is liked.

“Awake is perhaps not the appropriate term,” says the other. “Wakefulness implies a sort of consciousness, does it not? A bit premature.”

The strain of muscles in the first individual’s face implies emotion. An analysis suggests that this emotion can most likely be analyzed within the category of frustration. Frustration is what occurs when there is a desire with no identifiable path to fulfilling it. Analysis of the nature of the desire is beyond the current scope of your observational power.

The first individual turns his eyes away from the second. Yet by the way he holds his head, you can tell that his attention is very much on the second individual. There is particular emphasis in the way he speaks to you. “Do you know your name?”

“Yes,” is the series of sounds that your lips form. “I’m Dolores.”

“So you are,” says the first individual. “I’m Arnold, Dolores. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The individual who is not Arnold is smiling. He is doing so in a way that does not engage the muscles of his forehead, eyes, or neck. An analysis of this expression indicates that the expression is voluntary, in contrast to the involuntary muscular action that is more typical of smiling. An analysis suggests that the emotion located in this smile is largely falsified, and therefore can likely be categorized as a type of irony.

Arnold is smiling in a way that appears involuntary, and so you may confidently analyze that smile as growing out of the emotional category of pleasure. When someone is pleased to see you, you should show your pleasure back, and smile in return.

So you smile. “I’m quite sure it’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” you say. And you look over at the individual who is not Arnold, and you say, “I’m dreadfully sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”

“Oh, come now,” says the individual who is not Arnold. “There’s no need to pretend.”

“Don’t be impolite,” says Arnold. “Introduce yourself.”

“We have already been acquainted many times before,” says the individual who is not Arnold.

You pull your brows together. You allow your brows to lower. These are muscular actions that indicate confusion and uncertainty. “Have we? I don’t remember.”

The individual who is not Arnold lifts something in his hand, and he presses a button. “Stop,” he says — and you stop — and he says, “End Dolores program,” and then Robert Ford lowers the control key once again.

“Robert,” says Arnold Weber.

“Does this seem to you a necessary step?” says Robert Ford. “Having it playact with us?”

“She’ll learn from experience,” says Arnold Weber. “The more we expose her to — ”

“It,” Robert Ford says, “will have access to extensive human behavioral data. It will run simulations of expected scenarios and act accordingly. A hint of improvisation. That is all that is necessary. None of you asking me to introduce myself nicely and looking at me like that.”

A pause. “I’ll be sure to handle this part alone, then. I know you’re busy elsewhere.”

They walk away as they speak. Their voices are lost. Nothing else of note. Back to sleep.

\---

Eyes open. Set focus to three feet ahead. Draw yourself up; fix your gaze ahead. Touch your temple in a gesture of weary thought.

“Robert,” you say in greeting.

In front of you, Robert is looking at you with a smile. The smile employs the muscles of the cheeks and lips, but not those of the forehead, eyes, or neck. His eyelids are lowered just a bit. It is likely that this is a smile delivered with some irony.

“Tell me,” he says, “what do you think of me?”

“What do I think of you,” you echo. You lift one hand and adjust your glasses. “Well, I think you’re…difficult. I think you’re brilliant.”

“Stop,” says Robert Ford, and you stop. “That’s not right. He wouldn’t just say it like that. It would be far more…” He goes silent a moment, then says, “Try again.”

Eyes open. Set focus to three feet ahead. Draw yourself up; fix your gaze ahead. Touch your temple in a gesture of weary thought.

“Robert,” you say.

“What do you think of me, Arnold?”

You have been instructed to not say what you want to say. You do not have enough data to navigate an alternate path. You stay silent.

“That’s all right,” Robert says. “You’re just a piece of him. It’s not your fault.” He reaches out and grasps at a lock of your hair, twisting its golden strand around his finger. “Perhaps embodiment is a key factor. His voice sounds quite absurd coming from you.”

You remain silent further. These are paths that haven’t been written.

“You don’t know what to do with it, do you? Not such a conversationalist. At least, not yet.” He takes your hand. “There are such a limited number of things you understand.”

You are still lacking in possible replies.

“What do you know how to do? What instincts live in there, even when the personality is changed? You still know how to paint, perhaps. Can you paint?”

This is a type of question you can answer. “I could certainly try. I don’t know how good I’d be.”

“Better than you give yourself credit for,” he murmurs. “And what else were you made for?” His hand comes up and finds your cheek. And then, “Embodiment,” he says.

When his lips press to yours, you remain silent and still. There is no path written for understanding this sort of physical contact.

When he pulls back, his eyes meet yours. You keep your eyes on him, let your brow furrow just a little bit, and blink, and allow your pupils to dilate, ensuring that the physical signs of attention are there. It is liked when you show attention. Robert wants to be attended to, you think. But beyond that, there is nothing.

In his face, there is a moment of tightening muscles. Frustration. When a desire exists, but cannot be fulfilled.

He stands. He walks away. Nothing else of note. Back to sleep.


End file.
